Pair get life for killing ANC man

Johannesburg – The Durban High Court has sentenced Samuel Hle Cele, 38, and Sandile Alex Mbhele, 34, to double life sentences for killing Dumisani Malunga and Bheko Chiliza at Mehlomnyama, near Port Shepstone in KwaZulu-Natal, the Hawks said on Tuesday.

Malunga, the chairperson of the ANC’s Oshabeni Branch at the time, and his secretary, Chiliza, were ambushed on September 9, 2012 by three men. They were coming from a meeting where Malunga was elected the ANC candidate for ward councillor. They both died at the scene.

It took less than 24 hours to arrest the pair, said the Hawks.

A few days later the third suspect was arrested in the Free State province.

Sifiso Joel Khumalo, 34, pleaded guilty from the word go and was subsequently sentenced to 22 years on September 18, 2012.

The National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation Lieutenant General Mthandazo Ntlemeza said: “Our members who investigated this case deserve a pat in the back. It is sentences such as this that that ensure that the public keep trusting us and come forward with information. We are determined to investigate every case thoroughly and we believe that our courts will continue to come to the party and send criminals behind bars for good.”